Peritoneal Tuberculosis Presenting as Chronic Ascites With Scrofula: A Case Report

Abstract

Peritoneal tuberculosis (PTB) is a common type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis; however, due to variety of clinical presentations, diagnostic challenges do occur. The nonspecific features of this disease can lead to diagnostic delays and the development of complications. In addition, PTB can mimic a malignancy, especially in women who present with ascites and elevated cancer antigen (CA) 125 levels. A high index of suspicion is an important factor in an early diagnosis. Moreover, an early diagnosis and the initiation of antituberculous therapy are essential for preventing morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, most of these patients respond very well to standard antituberculous therapy.Here, we have reported the case of a young female patient who presented with chronic ascites, mild abdominal tenderness, and later, scrofula. Ultimately, she was diagnosed with PTB based on her test results. We expect that this case report will contribute to the existing literature on this subject.